Pipe holding device



July 31, 1962 B. B. GRIFFIN ET AL 3,047,287

PIPE HOLDING DEVICE Filed Aug 6, 1959 INVENTQRS GLEN S. CARRl-CO BEN B-. GRIFFIN 3,047,287 Patented July 31, 1962 ice 3,047,287 PIIE HOLDING DEVICE Ben B. Griffin, 4710 41st St. NW., Washington, D.C., and Glen S. Carrico, Rte. 2, Box 17M, Springfield, Va. Filed Aug. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 831,970 1 Claim. (Cl. 269-104) This invention relates to pipe and conduit holders, and more specifically to devices of this type for holding pipe while it is being cut.

An object of my invention is to provide a pipe holder which will support one end of the pipe above the ground so that a chain cutter or any other type of cutting device may be easily placed around the pipe.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a pipe holder adapted to support and hold pipe of various diameters.

A still further object is to provide a device as described which is durable, efiicient, inexpensive to manufacture and composed of a minimum number of parts.

These objects we accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts thereof, as will fully appear by a perusal of the description below and by various specific features which will be hereinafter set forth.

To the above cited and other ends and with the foregoing and various other novel features and advantages and other objects of our invention as will become more readily apparent as the description proceeds, our invention consists in certain novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto annexed and more fully described and referred to in connection with the accompanying drawings.

It is a known fact that the cutting of pipe and conduits, particularly cast iron in the larger sizes, is a difficult job at the present time for several reasons. One of the main reasons is that the type of pipe cutters used necessitates the elevation of the pipe from the ground so that the cutter can freely encircle the pipe. The method commonly used today to elevate the pipe is to simply place one end on a wooden block, supporting it while it is being cut. This is unsatisfactory as well as dangerous, as the pipe often rolls or falls off the block, injuring a worker or causing other damage.

Also, these pipes are heavy, and lifting them oftimes results in strained muscles and other injuries.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of the device, showing a pipe being supported by same.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view of the device, taken on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged front view of one of the clamping members on the supporting member.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the clamping member on the supporting member taken on the line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a side elevation showing the device in use, holding a pipe for cutting.

FIGURE 6 is a side elevation, showing two supporting members holding a pipe.

Referring to the drawings in detail, numeral 10 represents the device generally, having vertical angularly disposed supports 11 and horizontal members 12, 13 and 14. Horizontal members 12 and 13 are spaced a slight distance apart for a purpose to be later described while horizontal member 14 is the ground engaging support.

Slidably mounted in the space between horizontal members 12 and 13, are two U-shaped pipe engaging members, each comprising arms 15 and 16, a threaded bolt 17 slightly smaller in diameter than the space between horizontal members 12 and 13, and a clamping screw 20 in the upper arm 16. The threaded bolt 17 passes between the horizontal members and has a washer 18 and a nut 19 on its end, said nut when tightened on said bolt, rendering the U-shaped member immobile. The clamping screw 20 holds the pipe in the U-shaped member. The operation of the device is as follows:

The pipe to be cut is first placed with its edge inside the arms 15 and 16 of the U-shaped pipe engaging members. The bolts 17 being freely movable in the space between the horizontal members 12 and 13, will assume their proper position with respect to each other, depending on the size and contour of the pipe. The clamping screws 20 are then tightened on the pipe, holding the pipe firmly in the arms 15 and 16.

The nuts 19 are then tightened on the bolts 17 and the pipe is held firmly, ready for cutting. If the entire pipe is to be lifted off the ground, two of the supporting members are used, one on each end of the pipe. Any type of pipe can be held, straight end or bell end.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in its form, proportions, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principle involved or sacrificing any of its advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown, but that the means and construction herein disclosed comprise the preferred form of several modes of putting the invention into effect, and the invention is therefore claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the legitimate and valid scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is:

A pair of holding devices for use in cooperation with a ground engaging supporting element, said ground engaging supporting element comprising a trapezoidal frame having integral top, bottom and side members, the top member being shorter than said bottom member, a transverse member integral with said frame and parallel to and spaced from the top member a short distance, forming a longitudinally extending horizontally disposed slot, each of said holding devices comprising a U-shaped body member having a pair of arms projecting therefrom, said arms having pipe clamping means thereon and being arranged on opposite sides of the longitudinal center line of said U-shaped body member to provide a slot therebetween to receive the end edge portion of a length of pipe for positioning the pipe for cutting operations thereon, a threaded bolt integral with said U-shaped body member and eXtending outwardly therefrom in an opposite direction relative to said arms, said bolt being arranged along the longitudinal center line of said U-shaped body member and mounted in the longitudinally extending slot of said ground engaging supporting element whereby said U-shaped body member is supported in a predetermined adjusted position on said ground engaging supporting element and thereby positions the pipe for cutting operations thereon, and means engageable with said bolt for retaining said U-shaped body member in adjusted position on said ground engaging supporting element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,249,402 Hovey Dec. 11, 1917 1,585,490 Hainsworth May 18, 1926 2,311,042 Ferguson Feb. 16, 1943 2,669,958 Sweeney Feb. 23, 1954 

